Logitech introduces HARMONY ELITE remote. The Most Powerful Harmony Remote Yet (1 Viewer)

[JQuintana]

I use the Harmony Ultimate One and love it. It (including hub) was going for $99 at Best Buy a year or two ago and I snagged one.

I use my Google Home and Google Mini to control my "activities". I also use IFTTT to program stuff like my Wemo switch.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

The Elite remote adds
1. Touch screen vs 4 hard buttons that tend to stick and kill batteries.
2. The hub that can control devices that are hidden with IR blasters and IP control.
3. With the hub you can build sequences. I programmed a theater to automatically dim the Hue lights overhead when Watch TV was pressed or dim the lights and change to blue when Watch Movie was pressed.
4. The hub allows devices to be controlled through voice control or a Smart Phone.

Harmony remotes are fantastic "One Room Solutions" but if you want more house control you have to go to a more advanced control system. I recommend the Elite even if everything is line of sight because you don't have to aim the remote at the components. Even the TV can be programmed to be IP control so you don't have to aim at it or run a wire for a blaster. You also have to make sure the TV is IP if you are using voice control, otherwise the Harmony won't be able to turn it on and off.

Brian

Thanks, Brian. A couple of follow-up questions:

1. How does the hub handle older equipment that cannot be IP controlled, and only has an IR receiver? I have an old Oppo DVD player and Panasonic BD player that fit that description. My Xfinity cable box handles both IR and RF controls, but I do not think it can be IP controlled.
   
2. Does the hub need direct line of sight to these IR-only devices?

Most of the advantages you listed don't really pertain to me. I actually like hard buttons and do not have a battery life issue with my Harmony 650 (the AA batteries last for several months and are cheap to replace), none of my devices are hidden and do not require IR blasters or extenders (my equipment rack is next to my TV), and I only have one light to shut off (I now have a smart plug and only have to say "Alexa, Family Room Light Off").

 

[JQuintana]

Hubs can be hidden. They have a tiny IR pod that connects to it with a long cable to allow for older IR devices to connect to the Hub. You can put the tiny pod anywhere on your entertainment center. Cord is maybe 6 feet long (ish).

 

[Ronald Epstein]

I don't have the models in front of me to compare, but if you have any interest in voice commands via Amazon echo then you must get one of the remotes that come with the hub.

I turn my television on and off through voice commands.

I can tell Alexa to turn to a specific channel.

Those little features make the hub very worthwhile. However, I understand not everyone needs that perk.

 

[xx Brian xx]

Scott,
JQuintana is right, the hub has 2 blasters that plug into the back and they can be placed in front of the IR sensor on the component.

The Elite is very cool but it's not always the right solution. I would stick with what works best for you.

Brian

 

[DaveF]

Thanks for the info! I'm a little tempted to pull my ancient MacBook Pro out of cold storage to re-program my One. While I'd like to upgrade, and the price is good for Logitech Harmony, I've been wanting to hold off until next year to upgrade when I can plan the who house shebang.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Here's the latest review I've come across about the Harmony Elite remote.

https://hometheaterreview.com/harmony-elite-universal-remote-hub-and-app-reviewed/

 

[DaveF]

I'm planning to buy a Harmony Elite to replace my Harmony One. The One still works despite a decade of daily use. But I can no longer modify its program. As far as I can tell, there's no better replacement, short of getting a high-end customer-installer remote like a URC or Control4. And I have a URC MX-780 in my media room, and it's not as well designed as the Harmony in terms of touch and feel.

But...have I missed anything? Is there any other universal remote I should consider?

 

[Race Bannon]

I'm not the one to answer about other alternatives out there. Just wanted to post that my Elite (with hub) still works like it was newly introduced tech.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

You might find a more industrial remote if you look outside Logitech and go with something the custom installers use.

However, you won't find anything as simple to program and use than a Logitech.

My ELITE is still going strong. It is absolutely the best remote Logitech is currently offering.

A huge plus is the hub that not only works with iOS and Android as a phone remote but also has a plug-in for Amazon Alexa control.

 

[DaveF]

I’ve got the software and can program my URC MX-780. And it’s no where as simple as the Harmony software from ten years ago.

Good to hear Logitech is still seen as a good review. Just waiting for sale pricing again.

 

[DaveF]

Ordered. On sale for $230 today. For some reason an extra $46 promo rebate was applied for total price of $184. Not looking gift horses in the mouth I ordered it. Amazon one day, should be here tomorrow.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Ordered. On sale for $230 today. For some reason an extra $46 promo rebate was applied for total price of $184. Not looking gift horses in the mouth I ordered it. Amazon one day, should be here tomorrow.

Dave, Congrats!

Keep us updated on the experience

 

[DaveF]

Looking forward to it. Love the Harmony One. And it still works great. But decided it was time to splurge and spend my stash of GC money on a gadget both my wife and I will appreciate. And stumbled into a great deal.

And this will give me a chance to see if I can (and want to) replace my URC MX-780 with a Harmony.

 

[JohnRice]

I really do like the Elite. I also have a 950 in my living room, which is the Elite without the hub, and I wish it was an Elite as well. Just so it wouldn’t need to be aimed.

 

[DaveF]

The very initial setup was a skosh more difficult than it used to be, because I had to track down and update my old Logitech account password. From that, I used the iPhone app to configure the device. That was very easy to start. Adjusting nuances (such as telling it to stop trying to turn of my TiVo when I changed activities) took some bit of effort to figure out. The app is rearranged from the old desktop app, which I half-remember from the last time I used it a few years ago. And then I started using the iPad app to see how it behaved. It's not the most intuitive app, but overall it's good.

But on the whole it's great programming from a mobile device and having updates synced in near real time to the remote, to test out! Beats going to the desktop, connecting by cable, changing program, syncing, then going back to the living room to test.

Also, it seems faster overall in response from the devices than with the Harmony One.

So far, so good!

 

[Ronald Epstein]

The very initial setup was a skosh more difficult than it used to be, because I had to track down and update my old Logitech account password. From that, I used the iPhone app to configure the device. That was very easy to start. Adjusting nuances (such as telling it to stop trying to turn of my TiVo when I changed activities) took some bit of effort to figure out. The app is rearranged from the old desktop app, which I half-remember from the last time I used it a few years ago. And then I started using the iPad app to see how it behaved. It's not the most intuitive app, but overall it's good.

But on the whole it's great programming from a mobile device and having updates synced in near real time to the remote, to test out! Beats going to the desktop, connecting by cable, changing program, syncing, then going back to the living room to test.

Also, it seems faster overall in response from the devices than with the Harmony One.

So far, so good!

Dave,

I am really happy to hear you got things working on your end and that thus far, you are satisfied with the remote.

 

[Race Bannon]

Hub, hub, hub, hub!

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Hub, hub, hub, hub!

Yes! Speaking of which, if you have an Amazon Alexa device you can control most televisions with your voice provided there is a plug-in for it.

 

[DaveF]

I'm just not into voice control of my things. I've not tried it, but as a thought experiment it doesn't seem like it would be easier than just pushing buttons on the remote.

Did a check that the AppleTV control wasn't controlling both AppleTV's simultaneously. It wasn't, of course. But I had to check.

Also tested and found it can discover the Marantz 7702mkII on the network. That's encouraging. I'm going to play around next year and see if I can control my theater room with it, and maybe transition from the URC to Logitech remote. I've gotten used to the URC and can program it. But Logitech is nicer, and takes me away from having to use a very fussy and obtuse pro-installer programming tool, and into the consumer-friendly Logitech system.